Print Books are best

Digital Book World consider the merits of ebooks and print books when it comes to parents and children reading together.  It would see that print books are the winners.  Go luddites.

A Squirrel ate my internet

Andrew Blum talks about the physical internet.  The talk shows both its apparently infinite growth, and the fragility of the internet.

Apps V Books

The Literary Platform evaluates the merits of apps as a teaching tool.  As a plus, the supporters suggest that apps, in this case Timeline World War 2, can combine the benefits of books, television, the web and radio.  My inclination is to imagine that such learning is too frenetic; people need to focus on detail in order to digest and understand it.  The app then becomes a distraction or entertainment.

Young People should read

The National Literacy Trust outline a decline in reading among the young.  They also point out, as if we didn't know, that reading for pleasure is the best way to improve reading skills.

Semantic Priming - using words to give a nudge

Mark Smith tells us that we are given a nudge in many ways throughout our daily lives.  For example, he says that supermarkets place their fruit and veg at the front of the shop in order to encourage us to buy healthy, then compensate for this with junk food.  Of greater interest is the notion of semantic priming.  I love words, and I believe they should be the bedrock of communication.  I am interested then in the study that suggests that using words to describe old age and youth can affect our behaviour accordingly; we take on the attributes of old age and youth, depending on which we are describing.

Good, Sound and Helpful - the purpose of Libraries

The Guardian offers from its archive an article on Libraries, 20th September 1922.  It says that the purpose of Libraries is to distinguish the good, sound, and helpful from what was vulgar, pernicious, and futile.  This task is surely the same one that we face today amid a chaos of internet content.  Guidance should surely be offered to help us select and distinguish.  For the full article click here.

Why Read an e-reader

Mercy Pilkington suggests some reasons why e-readers are popular.  I find them encouraging.  She says that the market tends to be for romance - quick downloads, fantasy - easy reads, and commuters - easy to carry. Maybe the future has books in it after all.